WPM R1 vs Adelaide | Sun 9th Oct | 3:00pm | SS7

11 days to go, we are getting close.

what will come first season passes or the first game???

Hope we get a first look at Zawada, scored in the Napier friendly, positive sign.

Didn't buy a season ticket this season because I am note sure where I'll be living, so a pay at the gate for me time. Much excitement.

Wusty Wab

Hope we get a first look at Zawada, scored in the Napier friendly, positive sign.

Don't forget it's our first look at Ugarkovic in Nix colours too! Could be a very influential player for us this season 😄

theprof

what will come first season passes or the first game???

Shame the new kit appears it wont be here on time either. Disappointing given the length of the off season.

Anyone want to speculate on what line up they would like to see? I reckon this:

Sail
Payne Wootton Laws Sutton 
Ugarkovic Pennington 
Barbarouses Kraev 
Zawada Waine

RR

Anyone want to speculate on what line up they would like to see? I reckon this:

Sail
Payne Wootton Laws Sutton 
Ugarkovic Pennington 
Barbarouses Kraev 
Zawada Waine

 All Depends if Zawada is ready for 60+ minutes yet. We might see Sasse or Old start in the 10 with Kraev - leaving Kosta and Waine starting upfront.

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

How far away is Lewis from playing?

Uffie mentioned Rnd 2 as worst case in his interview on the new podcast.

maynardf

RR

Anyone want to speculate on what line up they would like to see? I reckon this:

Sail
Payne Wootton Laws Sutton 
Ugarkovic Pennington 
Barbarouses Kraev 
Zawada Waine

 All Depends if Zawada is ready for 60+ minutes yet. We might see Sasse or Old start in the 10 with Kraev - leaving Kosta and Waine starting upfront.

I’d even go as far as saying with the amount of defensive work required that Kosta could be mostly bracketed as a forward, with Sasse and Old to replace the 10s. 

Any news on Bally? Nervy about how little we’ve heard.

I find it incredible (injuries aside) we have signed import forwards to be 'subs'.
We should have swapped a forward for a centre back where we need one

Jeff Vader

I find it incredible (injuries aside) we have signed import forwards to be 'subs'.
We should have swapped a forward for a centre back where we need one

Barring some great form from Waineo, once the new players are fully integrated in the team, I’d expect all of Zawada, Ball, Sasse, Kraev and Wootton to be starting. Obviously there could be tactical changes depending on the opposition, but I think you could expect all five of them to start once the season is properly underway.

I seriously doubt we’ve signed our most expensive squad ever just to keep the imports on the bench. Round 1 might just see the likes of Kosta, Waineo and Old because they’ve played more with the squad in preseason.

Wusty Wab

Hope we get a first look at Zawada, scored in the Napier friendly, positive sign.

Zawada is the biggest wildcard, to be honest. I don't have high expectations based on his CV.

Jeff Vader

I find it incredible (injuries aside) we have signed import forwards to be 'subs'.
We should have swapped a forward for a centre back where we need one

Where did you get that idea from?

Ball out until December? That's a blow. That toe obviously got a lot worse while he was playing with an anaesthetic; always a risk.

harrymc55

Ball out until December? That's a blow. That toe obviously got a lot worse while he was playing with an anaesthetic; always a risk.

Just shows how committed he is to helping the team.

RR

Wellington Phoenix injury update via Ufuk Talay...

Clayton Lewis should be fit for R2 v CCM, October 16.

David Ball and Alex Rufer aiming for December returns.@newstalkzbsport

— Jason Pine (@pineynz) September 29, 2022

Gutted for Bally - He's given his all for this club, but hopefully we see him back sooner rather than later.
 
On another note, that's a seriously impressive recovery if Rufer is aiming for a December return considering I'm pretty sure he didn't have surgery until about a month after he injured himself mid March.

harrymc55

Ball out until December? That's a blow. That toe obviously got a lot worse while he was playing with an anaesthetic; always a risk.

I think we had the hints though- talk about surgery, the players we’ve brought in, the way he didn’t appear in any pre-season.

valeo

Jeff Vader

I find it incredible (injuries aside) we have signed import forwards to be 'subs'.
We should have swapped a forward for a centre back where we need one

Where did you get that idea from?

ufuk said something about the foreigners needing to earn their place in the starting line up and that they were signed as a point of difference. Not quite the same as saying they were signed to sit on the bench, but I can see how it was interpreted like that.
 

Adelaide warming up for Wellington next week - They whipped City 5-1 this arvo in a 3 x 45 minute encounter. 

Old & Paulsen started for the WeeNix today, rather than being in Sydney with the rest of the squad. Safe to say neither of them are in line to start next week then.

Ryan

valeo

Jeff Vader

I find it incredible (injuries aside) we have signed import forwards to be 'subs'.
We should have swapped a forward for a centre back where we need one

Where did you get that idea from?

ufuk said something about the foreigners needing to earn their place in the starting line up and that they were signed as a point of difference. Not quite the same as saying they were signed to sit on the bench, but I can see how it was interpreted like that.
 

There has to be an incentive for homegrown talent too. Why would you want to play for the Nix as a local player if it was guaranteed that there was x,y and z ahead of you? 

I look at it as how Sotirio kept Hooper out- on form and results, given our play style. Only it’s unfair on the others as Sotirio could play in the cup to build up form and a case for inclusion. It’s more difficult for the rest of the squad now. And it’s painful to watch players play themselves out of a starting team over weeks with middling returns. 

It’s guna be a big test of Uffie’s management, potentially having selection dilemmas of over abundance and keeping everyone happy and fresh, rather than what we’ve had in previous seasons. You get more leeway to trying get performances out of emergency selections and a team which clearly isn’t first choice.

Talay has shown that he is prepared to give local guys a go if they show they are up to it dont really see why he would suddenly change that this year.
Also doubt very much if he has guaranteed any imports a starting spot  and not sure they would come here expecting it without showing the gaffer something. Realy dont think its anymore of a test for him than other of the other seasons and if the team starts well and is playing well is it really a problem if its being done on the back of players who in some peoples opinion spot should be going to an import. Me i dont give a shark who is on the pitch if the results are good.

The Wellington Lions are now playing at the Stadium on Saturday. Hopefully it doesn't rain. 

RR

The Wellington Lions are now playing at the Stadium on Saturday. Hopefully it doesn't rain. 

Jesus bloody Christ, that code can't let us have anything can they?!

it is their finals so not a surprise.

The forecast looks pretty good (fine if cold) for the weekend at this stage.

Is anybody aware how much Sky Stadium is going to rip us off for a carpark this season

ballane

Is anybody aware how much Sky Stadium is going to rip us off for a carpark this season

Probably some BS “early bird” pricing of $30…

Make it $5-10 and make it easier for everyone to get in there!

The Phoenix really need to get onto this and have been very lax over the seasons doing anything about it.From Sky Stadiums website their charges are as follows.
Sporting Events from $32 online
NPC                     from $17 online
Exhibitions           from $10 at the gate
All day parking during the week $15 
Bloody disgraceful that Phoenix fans are being ripped off at the price they have to pay.
Yep fully aware there is cheaper parking but some of us have mobility issues and it just isnt feasible to park a distance away.
Sadly looks like parking at some stage this season is going to make me miss my 1st Nix game at the stadium.Disapointing

ballane

The Phoenix really need to get onto this and have been very lax over the seasons doing anything about it.From Sky Stadiums website their charges are as follows.
Sporting Events from $32 online
NPC                     from $17 online
Exhibitions           from $10 at the gate
All day parking during the week $15 
Bloody disgraceful that Phoenix fans are being ripped off at the price they have to pay.
Yep fully aware there is cheaper parking but some of us have mobility issues and it just isnt feasible to park a distance away.
Sadly looks like parking at some stage this season is going to make me miss my 1st Nix game at the stadium.Disapointing

I asked that very question a few seasons ago, no response from the stadium who I assumed set the pricing for their carpark

While our attack looks promising, our defence looks a bit shaky.

Has anyone seen any advertising for the big game this weekend?? Maybe I’m not being targeted but haven’t seen even a social media post. 
Would’ve thought season opener back at home would be a good chance to try sell some tickets 

NZPhoenixFan

While our attack looks promising, our defence looks a bit shaky.

Agreed. Been conceding pretty regularly in pre-season.
My confidence for Sunday has taken a dip after reading of the 3-0 loss to Sydney over the weekend.

NZPhoenixFan

While our attack looks promising, our defence looks a bit shaky.

Free agent Nikko Boxall is looking like a very attractive proposition right about now.

Ranix

NZPhoenixFan

While our attack looks promising, our defence looks a bit shaky.

Agreed. Been conceding pretty regularly in pre-season.
My confidence for Sunday has taken a dip after reading of the 3-0 loss to Sydney over the weekend.

 My last shred of hope that I am hanging on to is that the pre-season games were just for us to test out various different lineups and formations and we will be better on Sunday.... Craig Goodwin might just split our defence in two though....

Reckon a 1-1 or 2-2 draw